Chapter Two
Does That Shadow Have Eyes?
“Two fit easily, but a third’s pushing it.” Duke’s voice carried from the other room.
“He can handle three,” Baden responded. “I betcha he can even take four.”
Confused—butverycurious—I set down the spatula from where I’d been at the stove cooking dinner and poked my head around the corner. The two of them stood beside the bar of the main dining area. An area filled with the people closest to me: my men and my knights, who were also my men. Just not the ones I let see me naked.
“Um. What’s going on?”
“Well, if it isn’t our Thorn Prince.” Duke clapped me on the back and tugged me closer to his side. His red hair was pulled back with a leather strap, and he’d removed most of his armor, apart from his leather cuffs and the set of daggers on his belt. He pointed to a long table in the middle of the room where the others gathered around. “Callum and Quincy are havin’ a contest.”
“A contest?”
Baden nodded. “To see who can shove the most muffins into their mouth without swallowing.”
Callum and Quincy stared each other down, their cheeks puffed out like chipmunks with a mouth full of nuts. Both men had brown hair and eyes to match, but they couldn’t have looked more different. Callum was my cinnamon roll, with downturned eyes, long dark lashes, and a baby face, whereas Quincy hada few years on him and was more rugged in appearance, with scruff and a jagged scar cutting across the left side of his face.
Callum grabbed another muffin and, with his eyes still on his opponent, eased it into his mouth.
“I… why are they doing this?” I had brought out the platter for them to snack on while I cooked dinner, knowing they were hungry from a hard day’s training. The muffins were bigger than average too—they were big men with big appetites, after all.
“Why not?” Baden’s baby blues eyes gleamed with amusement. His blond hair was buzzed on the sides and a bit longer on top, reminding me of the high-and-tight style the Marines from my old life had worn. “The captain’s pissed though. Look at him.”
Pissed was putting it mildly. Maddox stood with his arms crossed and glared at the two of them. He was possessive about his muffins.
Briar pushed his glasses farther up his nose. “Join them if you think you can do better.”
“That’s not the point.” Maddox aimed that snarl at Briar. “Besides, IknowI can do better.”
“Prove it.”
“I don’t have to prove a thing to you, physician.”
“Oh god, this is amazing.” I fought the giggle trying to work its way free.
I soon lost that battle.
Quincy coughed and dislodged the mushy bits of muffin from his mouth. That caused Callum to start laughing, resulting in another shower of chewed-up muffin all over the table.
“Such a waste,” Maddox said with a huff. “Damned idiots.”
“Sorry, Captain,” Callum and Quincy said in unison, straight-faced but barely keeping composure. Quincy had a fleck of muffin on his lip, and Callum had somehow gotten a few pieces in his hair. Their faces turned pink from holding in theirlaughs. One look at each other, though, and they became boys again, exploding into a fit of laughter.
Shaking his head, Maddox put his hands on his hips and tossed Briar a disbelieving stare. “Where have I gone wrong with them?”
“Let them have their fun.” Briar moved closer to Maddox. Their arms brushed together before the backs of their fingers did the same. “Lighthearted moments are needed. Now more than ever.”
Now more than ever?What was that supposed to mean? Had something happened they hadn’t told me about?
Maddox hadn’t said a word about the plan regarding the kingdom of Haran. Not even when I batted my eyelashes and baked him all of his favorite goodies.
King Silas—Haran’s monarch—had made a move against Bremloc by trying to abduct Prince Sawyer. Were the knights preparing for battle? Had a small force already been sent to Haran?
If war broke out, Maddox and the other knights I loved would be sent to battle.
The thought took the breath from my lungs.
